Fratello
by Kyuohki
Summary: Crossover w/ Gunslinger Girl - "The Brotherhood hadn't wanted to believe it, of a government agency using children as assassins. But when one of their own barely survives a trap by the agency, they knew that something had to be done."


**Title:** Fratello  
><strong>Fandom:<strong> Assassin's Creed/Gunslinger Girl crossover  
><strong>Pairing:<strong> eventual Malik/Altair, Leonardo/Ezio, Shawn/Desmond. (Also note, Desmond has a crush on Ezio)  
><strong>Rating:<strong> PG13 - R (Bad things happen in this fic)  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> AU. Major, major AU. Violence and mentioned rape.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Assassin's Creed/Gunslinger Girl and their characters are trademarked/copyright by their respective owners. I do not own any of these characters, the title, or any of the ideas of this game/anime. This fic has been created for enjoyment only, and I am not receiving any money or expect any for posting it.

**Summary:** Ezio infiltrates the Social Welfare Society for the Brotherhood. There, he takes up the responsibility of a cybernetic child soldier, Desmond.

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They'd heard the rumors – bits and pieces of gossip whispered here and there. Of a government agency in Italy that was using children as assassins. Part of the Brotherhood hadn't wanted to believe it, that something like that would have been too low even for the Templars. But when one of their own had barely survived a trap set by the rumored agency, the Brotherhood realized that something needed to be done. They needed more information, however, before they could go in and stop this insanity before Abstergo could take it any further. And unfortunately, it was looking like that meant more children would have to suffer while they were forced to take their time.

~:~:~:~:~

All in all, it had been surprisingly easy to set their plants. Abstergo was so overconfident in their technology and security that, while it was time consuming, they were able to slip in a few recommendations in for the Agency without a hitch. The first agent they were able to plant was Lucy Stillman, meshed into the staff to figure out what technology they were using to make the children so resilient to injury.

The results from her findings were sickening; the children themselves were victims of horrific crimes – usually orphaned – then their bodies and minds experimented on to make them weapons. Dependent on the drugs that kept their memories from surfacing, the victims were then assigned what the Agency had begun to refer as fratello – essentially a trainer who kept the children in line and taught them how to become killers. At the moment, there were only two to three girls currently being used in active duty, so the Brotherhood needed to work fast to get more plants in.

Another set of recommendations were snuck into the Agency's database, and all they could do was wait for the Templars to take the bait.

~:~:~:~:~

"I've heard about the Social Welfare Agency, but you have no idea how glad I am that they've decided to support this case." The doctor was quickly scribbling something down on one of the many clipboards in his hand, quick strides nearly taking him out of a comfortable speaking range. The two men following were hard pressed to keep up, despite towering over the short man.

One shared a look with his associate, gold eyes amused despite the seriousness of the situation. The other nearly scowled at him, managing to school his expression into a detached friendliness at the doctor. This only amused the golden eyed man more, scarred lips twitching while he nervously ran a hand through his long hair.

"The Social Welfare Agency has many cases lined up, but this one caught our eye," the darker skinned man stated. "However, I'd like to hear a more detailed report on this boy's medical situation."

"Of course, Mr. Al-Sayf. If you and Mr. Auditore could please follow me." The doctor nodded and handed off the majority of his paperwork to a nurse. He quickly flipped through the remaining papers in his hand, taking a sharp turn as they approached the intensive care ward. The room they were ushered into was practically empty, a window on their right overlooking another room.

Below them a boy lay still on the bed, bandages and cables from the machines nearly hiding him from view. A few nurses wandered the boy's room, checking the monitors and iv drips. The doctor shook his head as he looked down through the window.

"You've been told of the kidnappings and murders of children in Florence?" The two men nodded, faces grim. "This boy was the only survivor. We know that all the children were raped multiple times before being beaten to death. The police were able to catch the suspect before he was able to finish this poor child off. He's already expressed a wish to die. Hopefully, your Social Welfare Agency will be able to help him."

~:~:~:~:~

He stared, amber eye flat and expressionless, the bandages wrapped around his head hiding most of his face. His dark hair was shorn pitifully short, but dimly he thought that was a good thing – hands couldn't hold onto short hair. The nurse had wheeled him out his room, her voice a constant drone above him. He didn't care. The woman tittered at someone as she pushed the wheelchair down the hall. Another room pulled into view. Two men were there, and he couldn't help but tense.

"So, he hasn't said anything about his family?"

"No, I'm afraid he's begun to close himself off."

"I see."

One of the men came closer, and he pursed his lips and shrank back. The figure stopped and knelt down, loose ponytail shifting forward over his shoulder. Gold eyes stared at him, and he wanted to scream – the sound sticking in his throat. His limbs twitched, the pull of the bandages on his missing right arm making him whimper slightly. The man in front of him smiled sadly before turning to the nurse.

"What did you say his name was?"

"Well, this poor thing doesn't really have one. We have been unable to locate any family, and he refuses to speak now."

"So what have you been calling him?"

He closed his eye, not wanting look at them anymore, and let the conversation drone above his head.

~:~:~:~:~

Ezio stared blankly out the window, gut clenching as he tried to keep calm. The sight of the boy in intensive care had pulled up bad memories of his family, and he wondered again why he had volunteered for this. He wanted to bring a stop to these children's pain, and every case that he had reviewed just made him feel that much worse. In each case he saw, the child in question had lost so much, and Ezio couldn't help but feel that he would just drag this boy's suffering out more – even if the memories of this event would eventually be wiped away.

"You're going to have to make a choice sooner or later." Malik was staring at the door of the boy's room, face impassive.

"I know." Ezio scrubbed a hand over his face, absently rubbing over the scar on his mouth briefly.

"You've already passed up several opportunities. You keep this up and the Agency will begin to suspect something."

"...I know!" Ezio now matched the glare Malik was giving him. "I knew what I was signing up for when I joined."

Malik's frown deepened, but he turned back to staring at the door. Ezio sighed. He had a few more days before the Agency's deadline, but...

"I've made my choice, and hopefully we can finish this before there are more victims."

"Are you going to come up with a name yourself, or will you keep what the hospital gave him?"

"Desmond will be fine. I think it fits him."

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Loosely following the Gunslinger Girl universe. The dependency of conditioning drugs and the fratello are still intact, but the fatal consequences of the conditioning isn't. Also, not following the format of it being just girls who are used as the Agency's tools.


End file.
